1. Field of the Invention
The disclosure relates generally to checkout systems and, more specifically, to a checkout system that is convertible from a self-checkout system to staffed checkout system.
2. Description of the Related Art
Many register checkout stations, which have been a standard feature in grocery stores, home improvement stores, and other retailers, have been replaced by self-checkout stations. These self-checkout stations reduce expenses for the retailers while offering convenience and time savings to customers. Certain retailers, however, require that the self-checkout stations be converted into a staffed checkout station to increase throughput, for example, during peak hours.
This issue is currently being addressed by at least two different system. In both of these systems, the main video display is positioned on a pivoting mount. These systems, however, differ in how access to the barcode scanner by the shopper or cashier is changed. In one of the systems, the barcode scanner is mounted on a separate rolling cart, and to transition the checkout station from self-checkout to staffed checkout, the rolling cart is pulled out of its initial location, rotated 180°, and placed back into its initial location. In contrast, the other system uses duplicate scanners. One of the two scanners is a conventional, scanner/scale for use by the shopper on the shopper-side of the checkout station, and the other scanner is a small, hand-held scanner on the cashier-side of the checkout station.
The above described convertible checkout systems, however, each have issues associated with them. For example, the switchover of the first checkout system from self-checkout to staffed checkout involves a considerable amount effort to accomplish. With regard to the second checkout system, providing duplicate scanners raises the costs of the checkout system. There is, therefore, a need for a convertible self-checkout station that can be cost-effectively and quickly converted from self-checkout to staffed checkout and vice versa.